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Kamogawa Genji
Background After the War Arc Kamogawa worked as a prizefighter in Japan shortly after the end of World War II. He has had multiple boxing matches with former prizefighter Nekota Ginpachi, two of which he lost, two of which he won, and another that ended a draw. He was also friends with fellow prizefighter and future trainer Hama Dankichi. During the American occupation of Japan, Kamogawa harboured strong feelings of national pride, refusing to accept food handouts. Kamogawa witnessed American sergeant Ralph Anderson, with Miguel Zale as his cornerman, easily defeat Dankichi in an exhibition match. After Dankichi's loss, Anderson terrorised the population and chased Yuki into the alleys. Here, Kamogawa experienced the power of American boxing first-hand as he and Nekota were beaten up by Anderson while protecting Yuki. After seeing Anderson's clinical jabs and being hit by a Cross Counter, Kamogawa acknowledged that American boxing was at least a hundred years ahead of Japanese prizefighting. During this time, Yuki and Nekota moved into Kamogawa's makeshift home. Yuki looked after the pair while they trained, inspired by their commitment to rebuilding the country through their fighting spirit. However, Kamogawa discovered that Yuki was a survivor from Hiroshima, who was dying from radiation poisoning. Although Kamogawa's pride was hurt, he was aware of the gap between Japanese prizefighting and American boxing, and declined to challenge Anderson on the basis that true boxers fight against their own weight division, and as a bantamweight, Kamogawa was no match for Anderson. However, Nekota secretly arranged a fight with Anderson. Kamogawa furiously rushed to the match after realising Nekota had been brain-damaged after their last fight together. Despite Nekota's superior speed, he was crippled by an illegal Rabbit Punch and was severely beaten before Kamogawa interfered and stopped the match. Swearing to avenge Nekota, Kamogawa trained by punching a log into an embankment, honing his fists into a deadly weapon. In the match against Anderson, Kamogawa was outclassed and unable to land a clean hit. Through the strength of his spirit and Nekota's desperate encouragement, Kamogawa absorbs Anderson's chopping right and lands two deadly body blows, breaking his ribs and puncturing his internal organs. Despite defeating Ralph, Kamogawa broke both his fists in the process, which ended his career thereafter. With Nekota retreating to his mountain home to recover, Kamogawa put aside the feelings between himself and Yuki and dedicated his life to passing on his passion for boxing. Sometime later, Kamogawa opened his own boxing gym, where he trained the future manager of the gym Yagi Haruhiko, the then-OPBF Featherweight champion Miyata Senior, and the budding counter specialist Miyata Ichirō. By chance, he encountered Takamura Mamoru and convinced him to enter the world of boxing under his tutorship. History Part I (Volumes: 1-46 & Episodes: 1-104) Part II (Volumes: 46-121 & Episodes: 105-Current) Part III (Volumes: 121-Current) Match History Appearance KamogawaAppearance.png|Kamogawa's Appearance Kamogawa.gif|Kamogawa's in his "Dynamic Glove" navy blue long-sleeved shirt. Kamogawa2 bg.gif|Kamogawa's younger appearance During his youth, Kamogawa sported messy, dark-brown, hair and a muscular physique. He also had a very rigid face structure, with a bulky isometric nose and large eye-brows. This refined jawline is less prevalent in his older years. In his twilight years, Kamogawa is partially bald with grey hair residing on the sides of his head, as well as an unusual small clockwise spiral of hair above his forehead. He also has large grey eyebrows and a large nose. His age leaves him with liver spots and wrinkles. It also leaves him often walking with a brown wooden cane. His attire at his gym and during matches usually consists of a white long or short-sleeved shirt with a small "KBG" in black letters on the front in the top-right corner, and "Kamogawa Boxing Gym" in big black letters on the back along with black pants and shoes. Sometimes outside the gym, he wears a brown suit with a red tie, brown fedora, pants and shoes. Sometimes during matches he wears a navy blue long-sleeved shirt with "Dynamic Glove" in big white letters on the front, black pants and red shoes. Personality Kamogawa is fairly stubborn, stoic, and introspective, rarely displaying his emotions outwardly. He is deeply passionate about boxing as a sport and takes great pride in his boxers success. Despite this, he is prudish and does not tolerate indecency and debauchery, disciplining his disciples with his cane when they step out of line. He only yells at people who he has hopes for and deems dependableChapter 14, page 18.. He is repeatedly proud of Takamura and Ippo, though he rarely expresses it. It is Ippo who he regards as his "last son". He seeks to raise a world champion whose boxing is principled on fighting spirit, not just talent or skill. Boxing Abilities Back in his prime days as a Bantamweight, Kamogawa was a right-handed hard fighter. Nekota once stated that Kamogawa's right and left hasn't faded in his old age, implying that Kamogawa used both Southpaw and Orthodox Boxing Styles. He invented Tekken, a destructive body blow which leaves an imprint of a fist behind. He possesses a stubborn and unyielding fighting spirit, which he seeks to pass down to a successor in the hopes of challenging the world. His strong willpower allows him to continue fighting even the toughest of opponents. Intelligence Kamogawa has vast intelligence in boxing, knowing many techniques, styles, and boxers from the real world. He is able to quickly recognise many techniques as a boxer is using them, such as when he saw Ippo's Dempsey Roll for the first time. His boxing knowledge allows him to quickly come up with strategies to counter an opponent before and during matches for his boxers. Gallery Manga Scenes= Nekota and Kamogawa as pilots.png Young Kamogawa and Young Nekota.png|Young Nekota and Young Kamogawa Kamogawa challenging Anderson.png|Kamogawa challenging Anderson Kamogawa's Revenge.png|Kamogawa wanting revenge Kamogawa's log training.png|Forging Tekken Kamogawa's Tekken 2.png|Log drilled into the ground Nekota and Yuki leaving.png|Nekota and Yuki leaving Kamogawa watching train leave.png|Kamogawa watching the train leave Kamogawa vs Anderson - 01.png Kamogawa vs Anderson - Body blow 2.png|Kamogawa landing another body blow Kamogawa vs Anderson - 20.png|Zale declares Kamogawa winner Kamogawa looking out.png Kamogawa spirit slap Ippo.png Kamogawa's Spirit Slap.png Kamogawa giving Ippo a hand.png Kamogawa mitts.png|Takamura imaging Kamogawa during the Eagle match Logs in the ground.png|Kamogawa noticing the logs in the ground Ippo mitt training with Kamogawa 2.png Ippo mitt training with Kamogawa 1.png Ippo mitt training with Kamogawa.png Kamogawa Round 1240.png KamogawaCoachTraining1166.png|Kamogawa performs mitt training with swinging logs in the wilderness. |-| Anime Scenes= Quotes * (To Takamura seeing Ippo for the first time) "I expected someone who could become a pro because you recruited him, but what is that? I don't feel any fighting spirit!" * (About Ippo's training) "Creating a boxer deserving the title "complete", that's a trainer's dream.. And every trainer works towards that ideal. There's something similar in all sports...People who take the most talented players under their wing and raise them. You verify your own theories with your player's success...And then you push them too hard. The instant you break an athlete, all your respect is gone. This time that fate may be waiting for me."Hajime no Ippo Chapter 156 * (To Takamura before his fight with Bryan Hawk) "Not everyone who works hard is rewarded. But! All those who succeed have worked hard!" * (To everyone in the gym) "It's true that your every day efforts are what allow you to make progress, but the opposite is true as well! Your every day efforts are what also define your weakness! So don't waste your time! Always remember, you're a boxer 24 hours a day! And make sure you work keeping mind the things you lack and need!!! If you don't do that, you'll lose your upcoming fights."Round 856 * (To Ippo) "A "jab" is a simple punch, but there are countless variations. Jabs to measure distance; jabs to stop movement; jabs to keep an opponent away; jabs to establish rhythm; jabs to pile up damage; jabs to distract them; jabs to set up the next punch; it can be used from far away or up close. It can be a spear, or a sword, or an axe. If you can master using this blade, and place it at your opponent's neck, then you can decide the entirety of the match. Do this enough, and you control the world."Chapter 1264, pages 5-6 Trivia *Kamogawa has been seen only once smoking a cigar in the series. Chapter 4, page 16. *As of Chapter 1263, Kamogawa is still able to do mitt hitting with Ippo and Takamura consecutively at his old age. *Kamogawa caused Hama Dankichi's Glass Jaw injury, and responsible for Nekota Ginpachi for being Punch Drunk. *In the manga, there is a page that shows Kamogawa and Nekota Ginpachi as fighter pilots during WWII. *Kamogawa was arrested in the story, prior to Ippo's match against Malcolm Gedo, but the charges were later dropped. *Kamogawa is 73 years old at the start of the story. *Kamogawa is a fan of the Scamaras Brothers, Milo Scamaras and Marascas Scamaras. He is quite knowledgeable about wrestling.Round 1274 References Category:Characters Category:Male Characters Category:Characters from Tokyo Category:Characters from Japan Category:Kamogawa Boxing Gym Category:Trainers Category:Post-War Prize Fighters Category:Retired Boxers Category:In Fighters Category:Bantamweights Category:100% Wins by KOs Category:All fights Win by KO